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4 min 35 sec ago
Sheikha Mozah argues Islam not the root of extremism
This is a very impressive report on Sheikha Mozah's speech in the US where she discusses the problems facing the Middle East. I love this line: "I believe idealism is exactly the antidote we need to the cynicism of our times.” :
Article by Peter Prengaman (AP) via Sign on San Diego
LOS ANGELES – In a rare appearance of a female Middle Eastern leader, Qatar's first lady argued Islam has been incorrectly blamed for the rise of extremist violence when the real culprits include poverty, a lack of political freedom and “failed U.S. policies.”
Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned told the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Tuesday that societies worldwide were failing to provide jobs, hope and a feeling of greater good for their citizens.
As a result, youth “are seduced by a global culture of violence that is fueled by cynicism,” said Sheikha Mozah, dressed in pants, a business blazer and with her hair covered.
“In the Middle East, youth feel politically paralyzed, and are doubly excluded. Like the general population, they cannot choose their governments and are severely limited in venues of self-expression,” she said. “Certainly, failed U.S. policies in the Middle East have provided a fertile ground for radical groups.”
Her 15-day U.S. tour includes stops in New York, Los Angeles and Houston to push her country's vision for the future of the Middle East and expand sister campuses with U.S. universities. Outside of more liberal countries like Israel and Lebanon, public appearances of Middle Eastern first ladies are rare, much less by one giving speeches and opining on world problems.
But over the past two decades, gas-wealthy Qatar has become one of the leading proponents of reform in the region. Qatar has women in government posts, held nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and several U.S. universities have opened branches in the nation's Education City.
The tiny Gulf country is home to the Al-Jazeera satellite television network and Washington's Mideast military headquarters, which oversees the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It regularly hosts international conferences of the World Trade Organization, World Economic Forum and others.
Sheikha Mozah is the second of three wives of Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and is a leading voice for increased female participation in public life and education.
Answering questions after the speech, the first lady rejected the idea that Islam is the reason for limited education of women in many Middle Eastern countries.
“Muslim countries prohibiting the education of women is not because they are Muslim,” she said. “There are other cultural aspects” that guide those decisions.
She said it was important to educate women because both sexes had to “share in the responsibility of their societies in the Middle East.”
Without singling out any leader or country, she said the youth in much of the Middle East had lost faith in their rulers, which made some attracted to extremist movements offering them a sense of purpose.
But she also criticized Western democracies, referencing U.S. participation in Iraq in questions afterward.
“We live in times when we have to swallow the bitter pill of hypocrisy called Western democracy or else be injected with the poison of extremism,” she said.
She criticized an increasingly globalized world economy, saying that hyper competition had created a world of “consumerism and survival of the richest, of the man with the biggest gun has the loudest voice.”
She said defeating extremist violence and other ills would require “a major paradigm shift,” but didn't offer concrete details of solutions.
Despite all the negatives, she said she believed young people would pave the way to a more humane global community.
“You are probably ready to diagnose me with a bad case of naivety, but I can bear this diagnosis,” she said in closing. “For I believe idealism is exactly the antidote we need to the cynicism of our times.”
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Comments
qd06 said
What a joke? ...What does how she was dressed have to do with what she said? The Non Muslims/ Liberal Muslims- Can you listen to her because she doesn't have on a Burka? The Moderate/Hardcore Muslims should you listen to her because she is not wearing a Burka? So many people lose the message because all they see is the package and the media plays right into the stupidity.
Act your age not your shoe size
diamond said
I agree...what she is ...I agree...what she is wearing is not relevant to what she is saying. Typical of western media.
Scorpio said
The media in the west do it ...The media in the west do it on purpose....the sad part is people read and believe it! Oh my gosh she's wearing a head scarf, she must be repressed!!
lamea said
i dont understand the big ...i dont understand the big deal. Is the west surprised to see a muslim woman who is educated and can stand up for herself? please stop underestimating us.
diamond said
hear hear lamea. ...hear hear lamea.
Gypsy said
They had to point out that ...They had to point out that she is 2nd of 3 wives too. Wonderful journalism isn't it, right to the heart of the matter.
Artax said
I love her. ...I totally love Sheika Mozah.
She is one of the best things about Qatar.
Artax
Heartless said
Come on guys, you just ...Come on guys, you just jumped in and attacked the journalism, rather than the issues that are being discussed. Do you agree with Sheikha Mozah? What kind of reaction do you think she will receive?
I agree with her about the treatment of women, but I do think that religion itself plays a huge part in Extremism. Based on my own experiences, its only "faith" that has the capacity to turn a decent, polite and tolerant Arab into an irrational, hate-filled angry man with a mob mentality and a desire to kill.
It seems to be the religious fanatics that undertake all of the violent behaviour, and not your everyday muslim guy on the street.
Gypsy said
It's a touchy issue. I ...It's a touchy issue. I agree partly with her yes, poverty, lack of education, political instability and failed American policies do create the environment that breeds fanatacism.
Religion is and always has been a crutch for people who need one, who simply, for whatever reason, cannot think on their own or are two scared too. Telling them that your life is crap cause of the will of Allah and if you want a better life you should go and kill for him, is alot easier to deal with, then your life is crap due to this political situation and the way out is a long process of education, reform and understanding.
schlaunik said
Who wrote the Speech ...Salaams
What I want to know is who wrote the speech? Rand Corp I suppose. I haven't seen any of their policies doing well in the Middle East either. The Clothing does matter. And being co-wife is better than being a mistress. Why doesn't Qatar just recruit through MSA US & Canada and get rid of some of the loserswho are clueless to solutions and just part of problem. It's not the Bombs I'm afraid of it's Atheist and Agnostics teaching Muslim Children they come from monkeys.
schlaunik said
Who wrote the Speech ...Salaams
What I want to know is who wrote the speech? Rand Corp I suppose. I haven't seen any of their policies doing well in the Middle East either. The Clothing does matter. And being co-wife is better than being a mistress. Why doesn't Qatar just recruit through MSA US & Canada and get rid of some of the loserswho are clueless to solutions and just part of problem. It's not the Bombs I'm afraid of it's Atheist and Agnostics teaching Muslim Children they come from monkeys.
Heartless said
Shlaunik you said "It's not ...Shlaunik you said "It's not the Bombs I'm afraid of it's Atheist and Agnostics teaching Muslim Children they come from monkeys. "
uh- well its the bombs that the rest of us are afraid of. What a weird thing to say!
And if you dont think we came from monkeys, take a look in the mirror.
Gypsy said
We do come from monkeys. :? ...We do come from monkeys. :? You sound like a Baptist.
Mystica said
In fact! you're quite right gypsy ...Blood types are:
A - Ape
B - Baboon
O - Orangutan
Just keep dancing baby
Heartless said
What about if your blood ...What about if your blood type is AB negative?
Does that mean that your ancestors were an ape, and a babbon who preferred to do it upside down?
schlaunik said
the bombs are their results ...The mindset that would build a nd use these weapons and has brought to this stage I believe originated with people who don't realise that there is a final justice to be met i the next life. I do fear bombs as well but i fear the culture that promotes them more.
King Edshel said
Well, ..I don't ...want to offend anyone here, but if the humans were originally monkeys then why do we classify ourselves as humans and monkeys as animals? What a shame .... a lot of creatures get changed and evolved into different creatures since the beginning. Why do they still got the same classification and type? I don't think that the donkey used to be in this form before, so why don't we join him to the human race if this is the case?
schlaunik said
I looked ...If you're not behind me, to my left or my right. If you're nowhere around , how do you expect me to see you.
schlaunik said
the christian paradox ...Do evolutionist christians really believe G-d was a monkey. Isn't that hinduism?
Mystica said
AB blood type ...Still stands as Ape & Baboon
Positive are royal blood,
Negative are slaves blood
This is a joke from my son when he was 7 years old hearing from people that we all come from monkeys.
Just keep dancing baby
Heartless said
Shlaunik, apparently the fanatical ...Shlaunik, apparently the fanatical suicide bombers DO believe that there is a judgement day, and that they, as martyrs, will be taken to the highest paradise with their wounds smelling of mysk and they'll have 72 virgin women as reward for their killings!!
And to King whoever- I'm sure when the donkeys are talking to each other, they have a word for every other animal than a donkey, just like us.
Our semantics do not prove anything.
drake said
Contradictory ...she stated: "Without singling out any leader or country, she said the youth in much of the Middle East had lost faith in their rulers, which made some attracted to extremist movements offering them a sense of purpose."
These extremist movements are Islamic extremist movements misguiding youth. The fact is, this is the tool they are using to recruit. Eliminate the Islamic extremist movements, and you'll eliminate the extremists.
King Edshel said
Well, Heartless ...you left all of my questions unanswered and jumped to the part regarding the donkeys? Anyway that was not the main thing in what I've said ... it was an example ... and you can call me be the name that you see in front of you like I did when I talked you now, or leave it like that ... better off to bed than getting dragged into this ..
btw , Darwin was not a god so I can take his theories seriously ...
mir83 said
Angie in Qatar ...Yeah gypsy they had to point out that she was the second of the three wives of the Amir just like any other celebrity Lets put it Qatari Angelina jolie is out here...
RED_POPE said
I guess I'm royal blooded A+ ...I guess I'm royal blooded A+ (APE)
Bow to me you bunch of monkeys.... LOL
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds..
jackmohan2007 said
I feel every body is missing the point...'failed US Policy" ...I feel every body is missing the point...'failed US Policy".
Almost 5 yrs in Iraq and the Muslims are dying at the rate of 40 people every day only in Iraq. Compare this to 1 US soilder dying every day.
Strange that the Terrorist are not targeting the Occupiers but their own Kin?
More strange is the fact that the US leaders connected to the war are directly profeting from various companies eg: Dick Chenny from Haliburton & KBR. (Donald Rumsfield- profetting from a company producing anti-flu drugs?), Paul Wolfowitz who was involved in Dessert Storm is in World Bank. Retired Defence personnel close to Bush are in CACI the Defence Contractor. Same also of Titan - Interrogators.
Iraqi Oil is going to be De-Nationalized & Haliburton is again getting the bigger piece of the action.
What about Afghanisthan? Taliban still seem to be active.
Who Profits? Who profits from random bombings?
Not the Muslim Fandamentals.
Not Al-Qeeda.
Not Osama Bin Laden.
Not Iran.
Not Palestine.
But Who?
US Leaders, UN, IMF, W.BANK, who else. So why would they want to leave Iraq and end the War?
Majority of the people in US wants the Army back home, I wouldnt want them home if I was Dick Chenny.
You could'nt pull them away
So is the "US policy" failing? No its not. National-Unrest is exactly the Policy. These guys can only profit if there is Unrest & Civil war.
All over the world Religious/Racist Terrorism is only going to increase & not decrease.
RED_POPE said
jackmohan2007 ...Don't worry be happy, the gene pool is being recycle the proper way..
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds..